The Boston University Terriers are the hottest team to reach the Frozen Four.
The No. 5 ranked Terriers (29-10-0, 18-6-0) will put their nine-game win streak on the line when they take on No. 1 Minnesota (28-9-1, 19-4-1) in the opening semifinal on Thursday (5 p.m.) at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. BU is playing in its 38th NCAA tournament and making its 23rd visit to the Frozen Four.
Big 10 tournament champion Michigan (26-11-3) will make its record 27th appearance in the Frozen Four against ECAC regular season champion Quinnipiac (34-4-3) in the nightcap.
The Terriers own the longest active win streak in the nation, which also doubles as the longest active unbeaten streak, that began with a win at Vermont on Feb. 24.
“These guys all year long have taken what we’ve talked about and they have gone out there and done it,” said BU first-year head coach Jay Pandolfo. “That is what their mindset has been the last month or so now.
“We are just playing the right way, playing to our identity and it’s resulting in wins. And we are certainly going to need more of that with the team we are playing.”
The Terriers’ streak survived two overtime wins against Providence and Merrimack in the Hockey East Tournament followed by regulation victories over Western Michigan and Cornell in the NCAA Manchester Regional.
Jay O’Brien, a senior first line center from Hingham, contends the win streak Minnesota looks to end is the byproduct of veteran leadership and players knowing their roles.
“I think we are very fortunate to have a lot of depth on this team,” said O’Brien. “It’s kind of been a different guy every weekend or a different couple of guys ever weekend, which has been great to see.
“Guys know their roles and they have bought into their roles. I think everything’s kind of clicking for us on the ice and off the ice. The guys just love being around each other.
“The first thing that comes to mind for me is how special this group is off the ice, which leads to success on the ice. That’s kind of been the biggest thing for me.”
BU has five players with 10 or more goals with seniors Matt Brown and Wilmer Skoog topping the list with 16 apiece. But the player who has made the biggest impact on the program is Lane Hutson, a freshman defenseman North Barrington, Ill.
Hutson has 15 goals and 33 assists for 48 points, making him the highest-scoring first-year defenseman in Hockey East history. Hutson’s brother, freshman right wing Quinn Hutson, is third in scoring with 15 goals.
“I don’t know if I can pinpoint one thing, but his hockey sense is off the charts,” said Pandolfo. “I think he thinks two or three steps ahead of the guys he is playing against.
“I think his competitiveness is also something that is off the charts. He is one of the most competitive guys I have been around. He is more into winning than individual accomplishments.”
A pair of freshmen snipers paved the way for Minnesota’s trip to Tampa. Logan Cooley has 20 goals and leads the rest of Division 1 with 37 assists. Classmate Jimmy Smuggerud has 21 goals and 29 assists.
“Obviously, they have a lot of talent over there,” said Pandolfo. “Our job is to kind of take away time and space from those guys and kind of disrupt them any way we can.
“Puck management will be the big thing against them. Making good decisions with the puck and not throwing it away.”